The present invention relates to vehicles, particularly vehicles for use by the mobility impaired. The invention finds particular application in conjunction with light weight, foldable wheelchairs which are readily transported to a site of use. Such chairs are frequently used by the elderly and others who have limited mobility, but lack the endurance for shopping centers and other activities. Although described in conjunction with light weight wheelchairs, it will be appreciated that the invention will find utility with other wheelchairs and vehicles.
Heretofore, wheelchairs have had a large number of left handed and right handed parts. That is, parts designed for the left side of the wheelchair could not be interchanged with parts from the right side of the wheelchair or vice versa. This lack of interchangeability increased manufacturing complexity and inventory. Moreover, separate inventories were necessary for aftermarket replacement parts for the left and right hand sides of the wheelchairs.
Most non-prescription wheelchairs have a very limited number of options. Rather, non-prescription chairs have numerous weld joints which permanently affix the various components and subassemblies. Such chairs are not readily amenable to varying the features. Instead, such chairs are normally designed to fall in different price ranges, each range having preselected features.
The present invention provides a wheelchair that has numerous modules and components that can be readily added or deleted and which may be utilized on either side of the chair.